For Carolyn Schwarz, the chance to move to a global organization that delivers social services to the needy was too good to resist. The outgoing executive director of the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians told me that taking the lead job at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin and Central Texas gives her a larger organization to lead — and more resources.

But she isn’t leaving behind a limping organization. In Schwarz’s nearly nine years with HAAM, the nonprofit has grown into one of the city’s most prominent charities, delivering affordable health services to more than 3,500 low-income musicians.

Schwarz leaves HAAM on Oct. 14, the day before results of last month’s citywide HAAM Benefit Day are expected to be announced. Last year about $235,000 was raised largely through local businesses, and after Schwarz predicted a “record-breaking” total this year she talked about how the organization will have to shift with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

What’s the plan so far to find your successor?

One of our board members, Diana Resnik, is going to serve as the interim director. The board is handling the process to find a permanent replacement.

Since you’ve been in the job for nine years and know its demands, what qualities are important for the leader of HAAM to have?

I don’t know that I feel comfortable offering my opinion since that’s the board’s decision. They’re going to find somebody great, and the good news is that the organization is very stable and in a great position, financially. All of the staff does its job to the utmost. In a way, that’s how my transition to Ronald McDonald House Charities is going to look, because they had a great director. I’m proud that what ties the two is that both were working with people in need of basic social service care.

Why did you decide to leave HAAM?

I love every minute I’ve spent here. This is a growth opportunity for me as a nonprofit leader because Ronald McDonald House Charities is a global organization, and in the Austin area I’ll be working with twice the budget of HAAM and a staff that is five times the size. It’s a great next step in my career.

What’s next for HAAM?

We’ve been very proactive in advising people on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. We’re completely up to speed on what that means and how we can help musicians enroll in health insurance plans. The majority of them are not eligible because they don’t meet the 100 percent of poverty income level, but our team is filled with experts on what’s going on and what’s out there. There’s going to be a great workshop on Oct. 15 to deal with exactly that issue, and we sought out the help of Foundation Communities on that. The most important thing for HAAM is to be agile and to adjust to the gaps that still exist for musicians.

Will the increased demand on physicians and health care providers that will be brought on by the ACA have any effect on care for HAAM members?

The musicians in our program are seen and treated through Seton, and those are their primary care doctors. That won’t change because their mission is to serve the working poor. HAAM also works on additional services like dental and hearing, and we’re still here for those services.